Toward a national urban parks policy — Backgrounder

1. Context

In August 2021, Parks Canada launched the National Urban Parks program. The National Urban Parks program is the next step for Parks Canada, an agency which, over the past 110 years, has provided Canadians with a system of national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas - as well as the Rouge National Urban Park, the first national urban park in Canada. The new National Urban Parks program will build on the many successes of the Rouge National Urban Park, exploring different approaches that involve working with partners to develop collaborative and innovative management and governance frameworks.

National urban parks have tremendous potential, when it comes to conserving and restoring nature in cities, protecting cities from the impacts of climate change (such as floods and heat waves), improving access to nature for those living in cities, conserving and sharing cultural heritage, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Conserving nature, connecting people with nature, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples are the core objectives that form the basis for the National Urban Parks program and that will guide the creation and implementation of a network of national urban parks across Canada. These objectives are priorities for the Government of Canada, as communicated in the 2020 Speech from the Throne and Budget 2021. The Government of Canada reaffirmed those commitments in the December 2021 Mandate Letter of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

By conserving green space in urban areas, national urban parks will contribute to Canada’s commitment to protect biodiversity and conserve 25 percent of land and inland waters and 25 percent of marine and coastal areas by 2025, and 30 percent by 2030. National urban parks will support Canada’s contributions to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the United Nations Convention for Biological Diversity, in which countries, including Canada have committed to conserving 30 percent of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans by 2030, and to increase the area and quality of, and access to green and blue spaces in urban areas. National urban parks will contribute to Canada’s climate change National Adaptation Strategy and increase opportunities for people to connect with nature and the cultural heritage of this country. National urban parks offer unique opportunities to protect significant cultural heritage resources in Canada’s most populous and culturally diverse centres, enabling present and future generations to understand, appreciate and enjoy their heritage value.

Working closely with Indigenous partners is key to conserving and protecting nature, and to ensuring that national urban parks provide space for Indigenous stewardship, promote Indigenous voices and stories, and facilitate connections to lands and waters based on Indigenous knowledge and values. Parks Canada will foster relationships that honour distinctions-based approaches by working closely with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Parks Canada is developing a national urban parks policy to guide the designation and management of national urban parks. The Policy will provide a flexible framework in recognition of the unique characteristics and local circumstances of each national urban park, such as local Indigenous authorities, while also ensuring that national urban parks across the country meet a common set of standards. Parks Canada has prepared this Backgrounder and associated Discussion Paper to learn more about the perspectives and priorities of partners, stakeholders, and Canadians on the national urban parks policy.

2. Engagement to date

Parks Canada has engaged with a range of stakeholders about urban parks in recent years. Urban Parks was one of the main themes of the Minister’s Round Table on Parks Canada 2020. Participant feedback confirmed that Canadians have a greater appreciation for green spaces than ever before and that they recognize that access to nature supports physical and mental well-being and quality of life, both for individuals and for whole communities.

Since the launch of the National Urban Parks Program in 2021, Parks Canada has been exploring the creation of national urban parks in several cities: Halifax, Nova Scotia; Windsor, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba; the Saskatoon region, Saskatchewan; the Edmonton region, Alberta; and the Victoria region, British Columbia. Early discussions have also been held in Montreal, Quebec. The ideas and themes in this Backgrounder and the associated Discussion Paper have been informed by discussions Parks Canada has had with partners in candidate national urban park locations, including Indigenous governing bodies; government officials at the municipal, regional, provincial, and federal levels; as well as discussions with stakeholders and experts from several different fields.

In late 2021 and early 2022, Parks Canada met with representatives from several national non-governmental organizations and experts in a series of engagement sessions that explored how national urban parks can contribute to biodiversity, conservation, and climate resilience. In early 2022, Parks Canada collaborated with Park People to host a series of engagement sessions which sought input from a broad and diverse set of voices to inform considerations for the creation of national urban parks. Those engagement sessions included nature-focused organizations, as well as city-based organizations serving persons with disabilities, youth, seniors, adults experiencing homelessness, newcomers to Canada, and Black, Indigenous and people of colour.

There has also been early and ongoing engagement with various Indigenous governments and organizations to inform this discussion paper, in view of ensuring that the policy is developed through a distinctions-based lens, and is inclusive of Indigenous youth, women, Two-Spirit, LGBTQIA+, and IndigiQueer perspectives. In addition to this ongoing engagement, national urban parks will reflect the spirit and intent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); section 5 of the United Nations Declaration Act (UNDA); advance reconciliation as guided by the 2015 Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations; the Department of Justice’s 10 Principles of respecting relationships with Indigenous peoples; the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Report; and respect Section 35 rights, treaty obligations, and related commitments.

Ongoing discussions, such as those occurring in candidate national urban park locations, national-level discussions, conversations with Indigenous governments and organizations, as well as feedback provided in response to this Backgrounder and associated Discussion Paper, will continue to inform the development of the national urban parks policy.

2. About national urban parks

A. What is a national urban park?

A national urban park will be a large, predominantly natural area, in or near a major city in Canada, that conserves nature; creates opportunities for people to connect with nature and cultural heritage; and advances reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in tangible ways ^{Footnote 1}. Tangible ways for advancing reconciliation include (but are not limited to): economic development opportunities, providing space for reconnection with lands and waters, sharing of culture and heritage, as well as for Indigenous practices and stewardship. National urban parks are at the intersection of nature and culture and provide opportunities for people in cities to connect with, share, and learn about natural and cultural heritage.

Parks Canada will formally designate these national urban parks. Information on how national urban parks will be designated can be found below under the section Designating National Urban Parks and in the Discussion Paper.

National urban parks may be administered and/or owned by municipalities, provincial governments, Indigenous governing bodies, the federal government, conservation authorities or land trusts, or a combination of these. A national urban park may consist of existing natural areas, new natural areas created from restoration of ecologically degraded areas, an assemblage of large or small areas, or a combination of these.

Each national urban park will be planned, created, and managed through meaningful collaboration and cooperation between local jurisdictions, Indigenous governing bodies, key stakeholders, and other interested organizations and individuals. Parks Canada is committed to engaging a diversity of voices in these activities.

Each national urban park will provide long-lasting benefits to the urban area and the broader region, serving as a catalyst for positive change in the city, a source of inspiration for sustainability, conservation, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation. National urban parks will be areas of natural or historical significance to the nation, serving as exemplary models for urban conservation in Canada and globally.

Each national urban park will be unique, reflecting local interests, values, the specific mix of partners and collaborators involved in the park, and the land ownership model for the park. Parks Canada envisions a range of flexible governance models for national urban parks with the majority falling under a partnership model:

• Federal: fully owned by the federal government and administered by Parks Canada. In these cases, an advisory committee, including Indigenous representatives may be created to provide advice and guidance.
• Partnership models: a mosaic of partners consisting of jurisdictions, governments, landowners, and/or other organizations in which landowners that retain their ownership, and all partners agree to cooperate on a cohesive model of overall management with shared stewardship. In these cases, an overarching structure may be created with the delegated responsibilities of overseeing management and operations. This could include a coordinating board with representation from the various partners, including Indigenous representatives and Parks Canada, may provide leadership and contribute to decision-making, and/or an arms-length body (trust, corporation, non-profit entity).
• Third party: some parks may be administered by a single organization, such as an Indigenous or municipal government. In these cases, an advisory committee, including Parks Canada and potentially other local organizations, may be created to provide advice.

B. A network of national urban parks

Each national urban park will be part of a larger network. The network will consist of parks designated under the National Urban Parks program, geographically distributed across Canada in major urban centres, as well as other major urban parks that may be invited to join.

A network of national urban parks will support national urban park managers by providing a forum to share information and experiences, facilitating opportunities for learning. Through the network, Parks Canada will collaborate with national urban park managers to develop guidance and tools, in view of supporting the operation and management of national urban parks. This would include, for example, exchanging information and insights on operational considerations, developing and providing guidance on management planning, sharing expertise and information on monitoring, and advising on reporting on national urban parks. The specific activities of the network will be elaborated once it is created but may also include, for example, bringing together national urban park managers with a broader community of practitioners from other urban parks in Canada and internationally, as well as local and national partners in relevant sectors to collectively advance the principles and objectives underlying the National Urban Parks program.

C. Designating national urban parks

National urban parks will be designated by Parks Canada under the national urban parks policy, which is in development. The path to designation may vary depending on the unique circumstances of each candidate national urban park, but certain elements are expected in most cases. In all cases, Parks Canada will work in collaboration with partners, such as Indigenous governing bodies and municipal, regional, provincial, and federal governments, and support their meaningful participation in the process. The following provides a general outline of the process of creating a national urban park.

Early in the process, local partners will work together to assess the level of local support for a national urban park, and the extent to which a candidate site could potentially contribute to the principal objectives of national urban parks (see Three core objectives for national urban parks, below). This will typically involve undertaking studies to better understand the site, including how it is currently used; identifying operating costs associated with current uses (for example in the case of an existing municipal or provincial park); identifying natural and cultural heritage, and considering their potential to contribute to national urban park objectives; gathering input from partners and key stakeholders on their vision and interests regarding the proposed site; and early and meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples to discuss their interest in partnering in the process of exploring and potentially creating a national urban park.

Next, local partners will work together to plan the proposed national urban park. This could include exploring options related to boundaries, governance models, funding needs, and key partnership arrangements. These options will then be used to conduct planning and costing activities, enabling planning for operations.

It is expected that the costs of operating a national urban park will be shared among organizations responsible for the governance and stewardship of the national urban park. Cost sharing arrangements will be determined early in the process of creating each national urban park, in consultation with those organizations. Cost sharing arrangements will consider both financial and in-kind contributions, as well as potential for cost recovery and other fundraising streams, based on the capacity of those organizations involved and the agreed-upon park governance arrangements.

Lastly, key participants, including Indigenous partners and others responsible for the governance and management of the national urban park will finalize the proposal for the national urban park, describing how it meets the requirements for designation articulated in the national urban parks policy (see Designation Requirements in the Discussion Paper). Organizations responsible for the national urban park will sign a legally binding agreement confirming their consent to meet the requirements in order to maintain designation. Among other things, the agreement will also articulate the governance arrangement for the national urban park, including roles, responsibilities, and financial commitments such as cost sharing and cost recovery arrangements. In the case of a national urban park that is solely under the stewardship of Parks Canada, the Agency’s objectives, commitments, and approach to managing the park would be formally communicated by different means than an agreement with other partners. In either case, information will be communicated to the public in accordance with the principles of public accountability and transparency.

It is expected that candidate national urban parks will vary in the degree to which they meet the designation requirements. Some candidate sites may exceed expectations on the majority of these requirements, but not meet all of them yet. In such cases, a candidate site could be designated as a national urban park if Parks Canada determines the following: that there is strong potential to meet any outstanding requirement over time; that there is clear alignment with the guiding principles in the national urban parks policy; and that the proposed park will make a strong contribution to the core objectives of the National Urban Parks Program overall. Recognizing local variance, Parks Canada will make each designation decision on a case-by-case basis.

At any stage of the designation process, investments may be made to support the creation of a national urban park, including for land acquisition or the building of key infrastructure. Funding for such investments may come from Parks Canada, municipal or provincial governments, and/or other sources.

At the conclusion of the designation process, the intent is to formally designate the national urban park under the National Urban Parks Policy. While the Policy is expected to be a key tool for the National Urban Parks Program, federal legislative options based on the same principles may be pursued in the future.

3. Three core objectives for national urban parks

National urban parks will contribute to three core objectives:

• Conserving nature;
• Connecting people with nature; and
• Advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

These three objectives are all interconnected: conserving nature in urban parks provides habitat for wildlife and spaces for people to connect with nature close to where they live; being able to connect with nature encourages people to care for, learn about, and support conservation of the natural environment and the natural and cultural heritage of a particular place; leadership by Indigenous people in urban parks allows for Indigenous knowledge and two-eyed seeing to inform stewardship of the lands and waters and provides opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to learn from each other and connect. These three, core objectives provide a framework for the design and management of individual national urban parks. Each national urban park will contribute to the core objectives in ways that reflect the local contexts and interests of partners and stakeholders.

Each of the core objectives is outlined below.

Objective — Conserving nature

National urban parks contribute to local, national and global efforts to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity and address the impacts of climate change in cities. This will be achieved in a variety of ways, for example:

• Contributing to national and global biodiversity targets through recognition in part or entirely as a ‘protected area’ or as an ‘other effective area-based conservation measure’ ^{Footnote 5};
• Protecting existing natural areas including significant, rare, or threatened ecological features like wetlands, dunes, or stands of old growth forest, and cultural landscapes and features including agricultural areas, built heritage, engineering works, archaeological sites;
• Creating, restoring, and maintaining habitat for pollinators, migratory animals, and other wildlife;
• Managing the overall park in ways that maintain and enhance biodiversity (the variety of living organisms and the ecological systems they are part of) and ecosystem services (the benefits people derive from functioning ecosystems, such as clean air and water, food, flood control, medicines, recreation, spiritual and cultural connections with nature, etc.);
• Improving connectivity between natural areas, including protected areas;
• Implementing nature-based solutions such as planting trees to increase carbon storage, enhancing climate resilience by, for example, restoring native vegetation along shorelines to absorb storm water and reduce flood damage, and contribute to adaptation by, for example, increasing greenspace which simultaneously will help to cool cities during heatwaves and provide climate refugia for wildlife;
• Creating, maintaining and enhancing natural infrastructure which can support cities’ climate resilience-planning and reduce the burden on municipal assets like storm water systems, by, for example, increasing vegetation and porous surfaces in key places to improve storm water retention and prevent flooding;
• Supporting research in urban ecology and conservation, for example, by serving as living laboratories to test and develop best practices for conservation in urban areas in partnership with academic institutions;
• Creating space for traditional ways of knowing and complimentary research using two-eyed-seeing and conducting research in ethical space with local Indigenous communities; and
• Preventing land-use activities that conflict with the national urban park’s objectives while enabling public use.

Objective — Connecting people with nature

National urban parks will create a welcoming public space for all visitors and users to connect with nature, learn about natural and cultural heritage, and enjoy the benefits of spending time outside year-round. Urban parks will be places where visitors and users can explore how people and the environment in which they live interact and affect one another, seeing humans as a part of nature, not separate from it. National urban parks are a unique opportunity to bring people together, within some of Canada’s most culturally diverse areas. National urban parks have the capacity to highlight the diverse narratives that shape the country’s past and present, ensuring that cultural sites bring to light the histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples and all people living in Canada. They will be located within close proximity to the urban or peri-urban area (the zone of transition from rural to urban) and will be accessible via public and active transportation (modes of self-powered transportation like walking, cycling, wheeling, etc.). National urban parks will provide accessible and meaningful experiences for all visitors and users based on universal design principles. National urban parks will be inclusive spaces where diversity is welcomed, and where equity is intentionally advanced through policies, programs, and the built environment. This will be achieved in a variety of ways, for example:

• Documenting, studying and preserving sites and resources of cultural significance within the park.
• Collaborating with local organizations and communities to develop interpretive programs to promote, share, and provide opportunities for visitors and users to learn about the natural and cultural heritage of the park and deliver programs that respond to the needs, interests, and diversity of local communities;
• Fostering opportunities for leadership by community members from equity-deserving communities;
• Installing and maintaining accessible and inclusive infrastructure that supports meaningful visitor experiences for a wide range of interests and abilities;
• Establishing, maintaining, and enhancing activities that connect people with nature and cultural heritage in ways that are accessible and inclusive;
• Promoting participatory research through citizen science programs; and
• Creating meaningful visitor experiences that are accessible and inclusive.

Each national urban park will be predominantly made up of grounds that are free to access and open to the public. Admission or participation fees may be charged for the use of facilities, installations, programs or other park offerings to support cost recovery.

It also anticipated that national urban parks may include areas with limited access, in order to achieve conservation, reconciliation, heritage preservation, and/or other objectives.

Objective — Advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples

National urban parks will foster meaningful partnerships and champion leadership by Indigenous peoples including supporting a renewed approach to Indigenous stewardship centered around a vision of management and governance that is respectfully aligned with Indigenous ways of stewarding lands, water, and ice. National urban parks will support culture-based programming and activities to facilitate learning opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. This will be achieved in a variety of ways, for example:

• Recognizing and respecting Indigenous rights;
• Fostering opportunities for sustainable harvesting/gathering and traditional use;
• Maintaining accessibility and a sense of welcome for Indigenous peoples;
• Developing training and career opportunities for Indigenous community members;
• Welcoming the cultural presence and use of the spaces by Indigenous peoples;
• Encouraging tourism and learning opportunities with an Indigenous focus, including the use of Indigenous languages and culturally appropriate interpretative signage;
• Fostering Indigenous stewardship and leadership in conservation, such as through Urban Indigenous Protected Areas; and
• Advancing goals, priorities, and interests of local Indigenous communities and governments.

4. Operations and management

In order to uphold the guiding principles, meet the core objectives, and endure, national urban parks must be administered and managed responsibly. Parks Canada has identified six areas which will be key to responsible management of national urban parks. These six areas are described below. It is expected that the network of national urban parks will be a forum for national urban park managers to collaborate on common approaches, exchange information, and engage in collective learning related to these areas of operation and management.

A. Governance

National urban park governance may follow several different models. Under any model, a formal governing body that is accountable for the management and operations of the park must be in place and include the involvement of Indigenous partners. The governance structure and composition may vary among the network of national urban parks and may evolve over time to address the needs of the park. Governance arrangements should be co-developed by organizations responsible for the national urban park, reflect diverse voices, be guided by an agreed-upon strategic vision, and provide accountability. They should be effective, sustainable, and responsive to the changing context and circumstances of the national urban park over time.

B. Enacting and enforcing rules

Each national urban park will be created within a specific local jurisdictional context, with pre-existing site-specific rules, including, as applicable, municipal bylaws, provincial legislation, and, in some cases, federal legislation. Given the objectives of national urban parks, it will be necessary to review existing rules and laws, to identify whether additional restrictions, laws, or regulations are necessary to support the objectives of the park (e.g., nature conservation) and/or whether changes are needed to eliminate barriers to participation by specific groups in the park (e.g., harvesting by Indigenous peoples). This work must be undertaken in consultation with applicable jurisdictional authorities (municipalities, federal and provincial governments, Indigenous authorities), local organizations, and equity-deserving groups to reflect a range of voices and park users. To the greatest extent possible, local authorities should use the tools within their jurisdiction to align, enact, and enforce rules (e.g. municipal zoning and bylaws, restorative justice, Indigenous laws, and municipal or provincial laws and enforcement), layering legal authorities in a coordinated and effective way to support the objectives of the national urban park. This will involve identifying mechanisms for enforcement, including the roles of federal, provincial, or local law enforcement, Indigenous guardians, and others. Given the unique activities and land uses expected in national urban parks, effective communication and collaboration between those responsible for stewardship of the park and local law enforcement will be essential, along with training, as appropriate. In cases where a national urban park is under the stewardship of Parks Canada, Parks Canada staff may be responsible for pursuing the enactment of rules and enforcing rules, in partnership with local and Indigenous authorities, where appropriate.

C. Management planning

Management planning is an exercise commonly undertaken for protected areas that outlines the strategic direction for a park, as well as specific actions that need to be taken to realize it. Management plans are typically developed with stakeholder consultation and public input. A management plan can serve as a public accountability document, as it communicates the expected results of a government initiative within a particular timeframe. A management plan for each national urban park will provide reassurance that the park is being managed with clear strategic objectives, and that the public and other key stakeholders will have regular opportunities to inform and influence management direction.

To facilitate management planning, Parks Canada will work with the network of national urban parks to develop a targeted set of standards for management plans. Those standards will reflect elements that are common across all national urban parks, provide flexibility to reflect the unique circumstances of each park, and limit, to the greatest extent possible, the administrative burden on administrators of national urban parks.

D. Zoning

Zoning is a common land use management tool, and it is recommended that the management plan for national urban parks include zoning where appropriate. For example, in planning a national urban park different zones may be used to distinguish between areas focused on conservation or restoration, where access may be prohibited or limited to trails, and other areas with unlimited access and permitted activities.

Where applicable, Parks Canada may provide guidance based on its experience in management planning and zoning, either directly with individual national urban parks and/or through the network of national urban parks.

E. Monitoring and adaptive management

Monitoring refers to the act of observing and tracking change over time. In national urban parks, monitoring will help park managers assess the condition of the park, make decisions about how it is managed, understand how programs and other initiatives associated with the park are performing, and adjust, when needed, to help the park meet its objectives. Monitoring can relate to park ecosystems, cultural heritage resources, built infrastructure, visitor experience, external relations efforts, Indigenous relations, and Indigenous-defined biocultural indicators.

While specific monitoring activities and indicators will vary depending on the circumstances in each national urban park, Parks Canada proposes working with the network of national urban parks to identify a set of common indicators. Those indicators will be applicable to all national urban parks and would enable the ongoing measurement of whether those parks are contributing to the three core objectives of the National Urban Parks Program. Where applicable, Parks Canada will offer guidance to national urban parks, drawing on the Agency’s substantial experience in monitoring.

F. Reporting

Reporting on a park’s operations, accomplishments, progress, and challenges is an important means of communicating to the public, partners, and stakeholders about national urban parks. Among other things, reports can describe how much and in what ways people engage with the park, outline conservation activities in the park, illustrate the ways in which the park is advancing reconciliation, communicate the findings of monitoring, highlight progress on the implementation of the management plan and governance activities, and generally articulate how the park is functioning and delivering on its objectives. Reporting demonstrates transparency in decision making and promotes accountability. Periodic reports will help signal if a national urban park is experiencing challenges in meeting any requirements articulated in the national urban parks policy, so that steps can be taken to address constraints (see the discussion paper for information on proposed requirements).

Parks Canada will work with the network of national urban parks to develop a set of common performance measures related to the three core objectives (on which all national urban parks will report), along with reporting templates, models, and other guidelines to facilitate and streamline reporting. Common performance measures across national urban parks will support shared learning among the network and enable Parks Canada to assess and report on the overall performance of the network. The intent of these reports would be to ensure transparency and accountability, without creating a heavy administrative burden.

5. Maintaining designation

The National Urban Parks program is grounded in a commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement. The process for designating a national urban park is intended to create long-term alignment and commitment between partners, to achieve a shared vision with a lasting impact for Canadians. In the event that a national urban park faces challenges that prevent it from meeting its objectives, Parks Canada will work with the national urban park to address the challenges.

It is possible however, that major challenges could result in a national urban park’s designation status being threatened. The National Urban Parks Policy will articulate certain circumstances that could trigger a process for Parks Canada to re-assess a national urban park’s designation. At the broadest scale, these are:

• A national urban park ceases to meet the requirements articulated in the National Urban Parks Policy (see proposed requirements in the Discussion Paper).
• A governing partner in a national urban park (including Parks Canada) requests an assessment of the national urban park’s designation.

6. Next steps

To provide your feedback on proposed elements of the national urban parks policy, please refer to the document Toward a national urban parks policy - Discussion paper.

Parks Canada will continue to develop the national urban parks policy based on feedback that is submitted in response to this discussion paper, and based on continued conversations with Indigenous governments and organizations, and with local partners and stakeholders in candidate national urban park sites.

Once completed, the first edition of the Policy will enable the designation of several national urban parks that are currently advancing through the designation process. Following its release, the Policy will be reviewed carefully, considering the lessons learned from the designation of these parks and may be amended to address any challenges, gaps, or deficiencies.